


This New Side of Her

by Yasako



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Bi Sexu Ality, F/F, Neimi loves Colm at first, That A support killed me, matchmaker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 09:50:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13568055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yasako/pseuds/Yasako
Summary: During an excursion into the Tower of Valni, Neimi confesses to Amelia that she’s in love with someone. Amelia knows just who it is, and through the heartbreak, tries desperately to play matchmaker. Somewhere along the way, Neimi falls for her friend, this new side of her she’s never seen.The summary covers the entire story basically because I can't have you nerds mistaking this for het





	1. Prologue: The Valni Confession

**Author's Note:**

> No ADHD meds, foobar2000 only, Final Destination.

 

_Clink._

The corridor was dark. A revenant may have crept along any corner, hidden in any of the shadows cast by the torches’ waning light. She had already shot down countless wights to reach the tower’s apex, but the lack of space here and fear of the unknown kindled a powerful dread that trickled down Neimi’s spine. She shivered. There was just too much tension, too much blood already spilled, too many of her comrades waiting at the base of the steps just behind her.

_Clank._

Neimi feared for everyone’s safety. Tears welled up, the sensation familiar and almost comforting. But she forced them back down. She’d told _him_ she wouldn’t be such a crybaby anymore. The concern in his eyes that time was hard to bear. She didn’t want to see that again.

_..._

Neimi pulled on the reins, and her steed slowed just enough for her to wipe the last bit of moisture from her eyes. It was suddenly too quiet without the dull clang of armor. She glanced back, just to make sure her friend was fine. The girl she saw was wearing armor quite a bit too big for her and had somehow hoisted a greatsword onto her shoulder. They were about the same age: a bit on the younger side for soldiers. When Neimi’s eyes met hers, Amelia’s face became bright and beaming. The clinking resumed.

“Neimi,” she said, a little out of breath, “Hey, Neimi. Aren’t there a lot of girls in this army?”

Neimi had to bite back a yelp. The sudden lightening of the mood felt really out of place in a place crawling with monsters. But it worked. She felt less tense.

“You know, you’re right!” It was kind of surreal to think about.

“Isn’t it nice? I feel so much more at ease here than with Grado’s army.”

“O-oh, yeah. I was really nervous at first, but the princess was really nice…” Neimi smiled softly. Things were simpler then. Just bandits and Grado.

“You know, I’ve noticed that some of the women are getting kinda, uh, friendly with the men. I thought it was just, like, the camaraderie of the field or whatever.” Amelia paused shortly, timidly. “But maybe it’s not like that. Maybe it’s something else.”

A quiet giggle. “So, um,” Neimi began, “is there any boy you like?”

“Wait, why?” Amelia’s face tensed for just a second. “Oh, I know. Do you have someone _you_ like?”

They were on the subject already, and Neimi supposed it was obvious. There wasn’t any harm in telling her friend, anyway. “I do.

“He’s always been my my side, protecting me. He used to make me cry all the time, but I-I love him.”

It was back, the tension along Amelia’s innocent smile. She seemed to look past Neimi, and the archer girl looked back along their path. It turned a corner soon.

Amelia spoke. “That’s amazing! I’m a little jealous of you, even. Have-have you told him how you feel?”

Neimi shook her head _no_ , Amelia offered a few words of encouragement, Neimi said something noncommittal she couldn’t quite remember, not after the realization that Amelia hadn’t given any information on her end.

“So, Amelia, do you have anyone you like?” Neimi was eager to know. Love gossip was always fun. It’d take the edge off the final battle in the tower.

Amelia only mumbled indecisively at the ground. Her face kept flushing a deeper red.

“Ohh,” responded Neimi, “so you do. I’m sure he likes you too, though!” At that, Amelia looked back up, pensive.

“Why’s that?”

There were a million answers to that question that the archer had for her friend. She was so cute, so nice. They’d shared a michew berry pie on the way to the tower. Amelia actually did most of the cooking. “Well, you’re so darn adorable, and nice to boot. I really don’t see how anyone could _not_ like you!”

“Neimi…” Amelia said quietly. Her grin trembled a bit. “Thanks,” she said a bit louder, “that’s really sweet of you. It made me happy to hear.”

She sounded hollow.

~~

Her heart hurt. It hurt, and it was all she could do to let her towering adversary feel some of that pain. Her hands chafed on the grip of her sword as she swung, and again, until the one-eyed beast fell. Amelia should have known, seen it coming, from how her friend’s face flushed a bit every time he came to talk to her, how Neimi paused before taking his hand. No one could see her tears or hear her sobbing through the great steely helm she wore, so she didn’t have to hold back.

She didn’t hear their princess’s order to leave the tower now that it had been reclaimed, and soon she was among the last of the army still in front of the monstrous ogre’s corpse. As expected, Neimi was still pacing about near her, glancing about Amelia. She cared so much. She was such a good friend. Amelia loved her so, so much.

“Are you alright?” Neimi at last exclaimed. She smiled shyly, clearly worried. “Do you need a vulnerary? That monster was huge, wasn’t he? Are you hurt?”

The barrage of questions was so sweet. That honey seeped into the cracks of Amelia’s heart. It ached. Neimi’s smile was so tender, so gentle. Amelia never wanted her smile to leave. For Neimi’s smile, her happiness, what was best?

No matter what, Amelia wasn’t going to let Colm make Neimi cry again. The rogue would have to fall for Neimi whether he liked it or not, and she would make sure of it.

“I’m fine. How about you?” 


	2. A: Guardian

 

The barracks were very noisy at this time, between the Raustene princess’s declarations that her patients were fully healed by way of divine providence and Lute’s muttering over her analyses of revenant-inflicted wounds. The other staff users seemed annoyed. Amelia would have been amused by the Gradoan shaman Knoll’s incredible calm given the situation, or by the ginger bishop’s faintly twitching brow. She would, if she wasn’t trying to focus.

She needed to plan for the weeks ahead. The plan was going to be her masterpiece of critical thought and love expertise, and it would at least occupy her while her heart mended. There were notes scrawled in every inch of her latest journal pages, somehow easily legible despite Amelia barely even being literate. Her handwriting was cute, even. She also considered the contents cute, little narratives of Neimi and Colm  _ getting along well _ and Colm not being a big old blockhead.

Amelia reached a small roadblock. She didn’t know how to get those two childhood friends to actually listen to each other. She scanned the vicinity for Neimi and her crush so she could maybe figure it out. But as expected, the quieter corner of the tent that Amelia chose was relatively empty. There was only Cormag, still brooding over the loss of his brother and his 

country, and the princess of Renais, trying not to attract attention to the gash along her forearm. 

“Amelia? Is something wrong?”

“Wh-” she nearly cried out, startled by the fact that she was staring at Eirika deep in thought and that the princess noticed. “No! Well, okay. Maybe.” There was something about the look Eirika gave to people that made them open up. Talking with her really helped clear people’s minds, as when Amelia defected from Grado.

Eirika relaxed her grip on the patch of gauze she was using to cover her wound. “Would you like to talk about it?”

The circumstances were very private, and it felt like the princess would definitely figure out what was going on even if Amelia was very vague about it, but trusting cyan-haired royalty never really let the knight down.

“You see,” she began, “one of my friends really likes someone. But he’s always really busy, so whenever she goes to see him, he’s too distracted or something to notice. I really want my friend to succeed when she tells him how she feels, but I don’t really know how I can help with that.”

“Oh!” Eirika exclaimed, then, as her face fell, “Sounds a bit like Lyon.”

The twin royals of Renais knew Lyon, that’s right. Lyon, the once-kind prince of Grado, now a force of evil, though the specifics were lost to Amelia. How Colm reminded anyone of him was beyond her.

Eirika cleared her throat. “But it also sounds very different! Do you want to know what I’d do?” Amelia perked up as the princess continued. “My life has been different from yours and hers, really, but what’s really important is not leaving any regrets. That’s what I want when I see him at the end of all this. I don’t want to feel like I regretted anything.”

The princess’s gaze drifted off at the same time as Amelia’s thoughts.

She didn’t know how to interpret what Eirika said and knew even less just who it was directed at. But it was a start.

“Leave no regrets,” she whispered to herself.

 

The incident soon after they struck Lyon down at Narube River only cemented Amelia’s resolve. In the dark of the Rausten castle’s military quarters, she decided she’d do everything she could so that at least Neimi wouldn’t have to suffer like that too.

 

~~

 

Neimi couldn’t keep her stride steady with the rest of the army. Colm had to pull her along. Her nerves screamed. The atmosphere was too thick now with highs and lows, the entrance to the Black Temple just a few paces away. Every face here had darkened. Colm was no exception, his cheeks creased angrily.

“Neimi,” he said, “hurry up. I want to punch that jerk prince already. But I don’t want to lose sight of you, either.”

His sense of justice was a bit vengeful, but noble. Like always. Just like how he was still watching out for Neimi here, like always. She flushed and let her gaze drop to the floor, hoping she wouldn’t cry.

“Hey, hurry up!” Colm rubbed under his nose. “Wait, you aren’t about to cry, are you?”

She nodded reluctantly, the temple foyer visible now.

“Ugh, you’re such a crybaby. Everyone insists on bringing everyone, even you, especially you, and what happens? You cry!”

Neimi looked up to meet Colm’s gaze, her eyes red and watering.

“I-You-” he spat in response, before quieting, “It’ll be okay, alright? You’re real good with the bow, okay, and I’ve got your back. Okay?”

“Mm.”

Colm’s grip around Neimi’s hand tensed when Lyon and his legionnaires came into view, the dark prince and the twins of Renais already holding an impassioned exchange. Eirika and Ephraim gave chase as soon as he disappeared into the depths of the temple, letting everyone know the battle had begun.

Neimi yanked her hand from within Colm’s as she leapt onto her mount. Eirika had been crying, too. There was a strong feeling threatening to burst from her chest as she strung Nidhogg. Eirika’s tears, like Neimi’s eyes, reflected a pensive fear. But in those drops, as they hit the floor and dissipated, was something more. 

Neimi felt empty.

From within that emptiness came arrow after arrow. The nearby gorgons fell. So, too, did the father baels. She looked forward to nowhere in particular as she rode on.

“Neimi! No!”

It was Colm’s voice. He pushed Neimi and her steed aside, away from the zombie dragon’s putrid breath. It towered above him, readying another stream of burning miasma.

“Damn! I can’t! Not now!” he yelled, shielding his face with his arms.

There was no impact, no searing of flesh from bone. A pauldron dropped to the floor. Its fasteners had been melted off.

Amelia stood between the dragon and her friends, shield raised high, and sword raised higher. She brought the great blade down and the monster’s neck was severed. Then, at once, she threw her now-defunct helm to the floor and cried, louder than Neimi had ever heard her before, “What’s the point?! What’s the point of protecting her if you die anyway?!” 

The knight turned back to face the thief. Both rage and concern marred her face as she glared at him. She exhaled and reached into her satchel, quaffing the last elixir she had, turned again, and sprinted on ahead.

Neimi couldn’t move or speak or cry. She trembled slightly. It was hard to her to comprehend what was behind Amelia’s actions and words. She should have been the one. The one to-

“It’s not your fault,” Colm rasped. He pat Neimi’s mount in lieu of being able to reach her shoulder. “It’s always been mine.”

 

From the innermost chamber of the temple, Ephraim cursed. Eirika wailed a desperate rally. A low rumble spread from there before a deafening roar and an oppressive chill. Nidhogg thrummed in Neimi’s hand, and she knew she was needed. 

“Let’s go.”

 

Fomortiis was an unimaginable colossus. L’Arachel assured everyone he was but a husk. The twins spoke that the army’s bonds and the Sacred Stone of Rausten would be enough, because they had been through more, were far greater than any heroes before them. 

His power emanated from him in waves displacing the surrounding air. It knocked all the breath from Neimi’s lungs and what replaced it was Fomortiis’s voice. His sinister whisperings filled her head. He knew. Not just the foul voice in her head. Colm, too, that voice assured her. He knew.

“I know that,” she said under her breath. She gathered her strength and faced ahead, in time to see Colm, and Amelia, and everyone else, too, recover from the same stupor. Her roguish childhood friend balled his fist tighter and drew his legs into a ready stance.

Amelia turned her head and threw Neimi a brief smile. She ducked beneath her shield and let herself be as a protective phalanx, a vanguard. “Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright!”

 

~~

 

Siegmund and Sieglinde were both driven through the demon king’s heart. 

Fomortiis was gone.

“Neimi!” Amelia shouted as she ran back to Neimi’s position. She was injured and missing another few pieces of armor, but still intact and full of energy. “Neimi! You have to!”

The girl exhaled sharply and let her breath catch up. “You have to tell him! Now! Now!”

“H-huh? Wait, no! I told you, I’d wait until the time was right!”

“Come on!” Amelia hissed. “This  _ is _ the right time! I know you know it!”

“Uh-uh.” Neimi shook her head and took Amelia’s armorless left hand. It had far more blisters and calluses than when they’d first met. “It’s alright.”

“You have to!” Amelia protested.

Neimi made very direct eye contact with her friend before releasing her hand. “It’s alright. Come on, everyone’s outside and bound to be figuring out what to do next.”

“What happened?” Amelia said weakly to Neimi’s retreating back. “You…

“You aren’t crying...”

She bolted after her friend and loosely captured Neimi in a hug. “I believe in you! Even if you don’t! Don’t give up! After all, I wouldn’t- I-” She tightened her hug. “I mean, who  _ wouldn’t _ like you? You’re so brave, and strong, and I bet you could’ve made that pie better than I could. When we both go back to rebuild our homes, I’m going to send lots of letters. I want lots of letters back, and at least one of them better bring good news. Okay?”

When she at last released Neimi, it was only because General Duessel was gathering all who were planning to return to Grado. Amelia’s scuffed iron breastplate didn’t communicate much warmth at all, but Neimi still found herself missing her friend’s presence.

Colm soon came from further down the hall, sighing. “Hi. Whoa, hey, don’t cry!”

“I wasn’t going to, dummy.”

“Okay, well, we’ve got to go catch up with the princess. We’re all going back to Renais together.” He scratched his nose before grinning. “I wanna ask her and Ephraim about funds to rebuild our home. I bet a few other people got away, and they’re just waiting for us war heroes to come back from in their little wrecked shacks. Like, ‘Oh man, those dumb kids sure got into it this time.’”

“Don’t say it like that! Even if Jerome and Mallie and the rest  _ did _ survive, I’m sure they wouldn’t appreciate it.”

“Oh, come on, you know they’d think it’s hilarious, too.”

“You’re such a meanie!”

Neimi made a mental note to set aside a section for writing supplies and maybe a carrier pigeon in the fund request.

 

Though, as it ended up, Amelia managed to send a letter and messenger with some spare ink and paper first. Grado’s military budget really wasn’t something to scoff at. 

 

_ Dearest Neimi, _

 

_ Hello! Its Amelia. I read some books for writing letters before I sent this. I wanted to make sure my first letter to a friend was good. Grados  _ _ educa  _ _ school isn’t as good as Renais and I was scared that I would look like a bumpkin or something. _

 

“I’m the bumpkin, though,” Neimi muttered. Amelia was way better at writing, especially her handwriting. The irony was amusing. She read the rest of the letter as she finished stitching together a quilt.

 

_ I hope I didn’t send a letter too soon and annoy you. How is it going with mr charming? I figured out who it was if you didnt know. You said you werent going to say anything. But I got allowed from General Duessel to visit the part of Renais your in as an he told me how to spell it and Im going to try  _ _ ambaz anbasp  _ _ ambassador! Your going to be convinced once you hear what I have to say. Oh you know I found out from a book the time I got michew berries was an import from near your vilage! Looking forward to eating pie that you make this time. _

 

_ Regods, _

_ Amelia _

 

Anticipation spread warmly through Neimi’s heart. She flung the door open and stepped outside her cabin. “Hey, everyone! Colm, let’s tell everyone some stories about the war. Amelia’s coming!”

“How about the one where the big spider bit you and it got really nasty? Your face got so big!”

“Ah! Colm, why?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wee doggie this ended up heavier than I thought it would sorry for all the mood whiplash folks


End file.
